Cases involving flexible working dropped by 13 per cent year on year, as job insecurity and legal reforms reshape workplace disputes
14 April 2026
Employment tribunal cases involving remote working fell in 2025, marking the first decline since the pandemic.
A total of 54 cases were recorded across England, Scotland and Wales last year, down 13 per cent from 62 in 2024, according to analysis of court records by employment law specialist Hamilton Nash.
Despite the decrease, the number of flexible working disputes remained significantly higher than before the pandemic in 2019, when just six cases were recorded.
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Jim Moore, employee relations expert at Hamilton Nash, said the decline in remote working disputes was surprising, given the increased use of return to office mandates by employers.
Lloyds, WWP and JPMorgan are among a growing number of businesses that are encouraging more frequent office attendance.
“Aggressive moves to bring employees back into the office four or five days a week are likely to have pushed some workers to leave in search of fully remote roles,” Moore added.
This means that those who may have been most likely to make a remote working claim are already in roles that allow greater flexibility.
The dip in claims comes amid a weaker labour market. Unemployment rose to 5.2 per cent in late 2025, while job...
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